15 Oct 2013 by Natasha Kim CM-
It was a remarkable combined service when the family of Acts Church from all over the Klang Valley came together at Sunway Pyramid Convention Center. Rev Kenneth Chin made an announcement in taking a revolutionary step to go back to basics and to have designated Sunday services at Cell Groups (Homes).
The ever-growing Church began with only three people and grew astoundingly from there. However, as churches begin to grow bigger, there is a need to simultaneously grow stronger in fellowship and worship, closer through discipleship, wider through ministry, and greater through evangelism.
The focus of my letter wasn’t on punishing the offender but on getting you to take responsibility for the health of the church. (2 Corinthians 2:9)
Many Churches go by Cell Groups or Connect Groups but Acts goes by “Homes”. According to them, strategy of growth in a Church begins with “H” (House, Huddles, Hangouts and Harvest). It is a term that helps reflect the warmth and fellowship of their church family. There is significance in having a small groups of people that grow together as a Church. It’s undeniably a better way to connect. Their tagline is 'Growing small because there is a mall in every small, but it will take all.'
“Often God doesn’t allow us to be too comfortable in a situation so that we can go to another level with Him,” said Kenneth. He shared that this idea came about when he cried out to the Lord in his concern for the church's growth, after not seeing much growth. “We should be doubling or tripling like the Church in the book of Acts! Please give me another 1500 people,” he said to God. The clock is ticking! And since it is close to the end times, the one thing we shouldn’t do is to start getting comfortable. God replied to Kenneth and told him that if that’s what he wanted, he should give Him another three miracles, because they began their church with three people. A Church is a body and it needs to grow!
As each part does its own special work, it helps the other parts grow, so that the whole body is healthy and growing.
(Ephesians 4:16)
Growth has to be Caused, It doesn’t come by Accident
Growth doesn’t come by wishing or thinking about it, it comes by having discipline. "There are a lot of 'threes' waiting to be planted. God wants us to come back to a place where we are comfortable,” he shared. Many churches are content with their numbers but God require all Christians to reach out to the people and therefore, churches must not remain in 'maintenance' mode. There are many more people who need the Gospel. God grew the Church and He can do it again! Growing small to big is God’s mandate.
“That’s how churches become millions. God exists to blow our minds because sometimes, our minds are too small. We hear Enoch Adeboye with 30 million followers from around the world and Yonggi Cho with one million at least. We serve the same God! There’s something about multiplication that Jesus demanded. He never changed his command, even when he wiped out the earth and saved Noah’s family and the command is still the same!” shared Kenneth.
The only way to transform this world is by discipleship and multiplication. “It’s not 20% doing 80% of the work,” he said. God’s intentions has always been starting small even though His dreams have always been big. Some of the scriptures that tell that God favours people coming together in numbers of two or three are namely:-
Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: 10 if either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up. 11 Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? 12 Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
(Ecclesiastes 4:9-12)
One witness shall not rise against a man concerning any iniquity or any sin that he commits; by the mouth of two or three witnesses the matter shall be established.
(Deuteronomy 19:15)
If your brother sins against you, go and tell him his fault, between you and him alone. If he listens to you, you have gained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others along with you, that every charge may be established by the evidence of two or three witnesses. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector. 18 Truly, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 19 Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. 20 For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.
(Matthew 18: 15-20)
If any man speak in an unknown tongue, let it be by two, or at the most by three, and that by course; and let one interpret. 28 But if there be no interpreter, let him keep silence in the church; and let him speak to himself, and to God. 29 Let the prophets speak two or three, and let the other judge.
(1 Corinthians 14:27-29)
This will be my third visit to you. "Every matter must be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses."
(2 Corinthians 13:1)
All through the Bible, we can read stories of small beginnings that turned into great events. For example, the story of Noah and his family whom God chose to multiply after wiping out the earth with a great flood and the story of Abraham whom God told would have as many descendants as the stars in the sky, and he was given one son. In a body, every part has its function or role to play just like the body of Christ in the church. If everyone plants a seed, they can make a difference in not only the schools, campuses, workplace, but the nation.
Note: There will be no services happening on the 20th October and 3rd November 2013. Church in these two weeks will be held at Homes! If you are not currently part of a Home and interested in joining one, please visit http://www.theactschurch.org/
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